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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24579946">A Foundling, A Foundling</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Shy_One/pseuds/The_Shy_One'>The_Shy_One</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman (Comics), The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crossover, First Meetings, Jetpack Ride, Mandalorian, One Shot, Sass, Young Jason Todd, jetpack</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:08:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,372</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24579946</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Shy_One/pseuds/The_Shy_One</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Paz finds a kid trying to steal his jetpack in the alleyway.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>76</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Foundling, A Foundling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Paz wasn’t quite sure how the kid had managed to get a hold of his jet pack, just that he did. Despite looking on the wrong side of small and skinny, Paz watched from one end of the alley as the kid dragged it to the other side. He watched only for a moment longer and only moved to climb the side of the building when he saw the kid tripped and fell forward, cursing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>From there it wasn’t hard to get to the other end of the alley, jumping down to stand in front of the kid. The light sound of him bracing himself from the impact caught the boy’s attention, looking up at Paz with a startling realization. His eyes - a shade of green that Paz hadn’t seen from any other members of the Covert - starred up into his visor.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Up close, the small size and underweight was more obvious, causing some part of the Mandalorian to feel some sympathy for the young boy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing with my jetpack, ad?” He asked a bit gruffly. Some part of him, the one that sounded like the Armorer, spoke up, saying that he shouldn’t sound that way to a child. Even if they were trying to steal his jetpack.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(And then the voice went on to scold him for leaving his jetpack unattended and that’s when he had to shove it to the back of his mind.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s it to you?” The boy drawled, his voice mostly made up of his accent and vowels that shouldn’t be stretched or shortened the way he was doing it. “It was left here with no one nearby so I’m takin’ it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The declaration made Paz tilt his head in curiosity, close to feeling amusement the longer he talked to the kid. “What would you do if I said that was my jetpack?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ask how it lifts you up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That earned a light chuckle out of Paz. “And what would do if you knew you were stealing a Mandalorian’s jetpack?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That question struck a different reaction this time. Those green eyes widen, filled with surprise and then fear. The kid let go of the straps, scrambling to get away from the device as much as possible. It made Paz feel sorry for the joking tone he’d used. “Kid, relax.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I should’ve known!” Came the yell. Paz didn’t step forward, watched as the scrawny kid moved even further away from him. “Nobody around here could afford to leave something like this alone!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can’t afford it either,” Paz said gruffly. Nobody in the covert could afford to lose their equipment or weapons due to how tight things were from the collapse of the Empire. They only had Din out and about to earn what they needed to survive.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That caught the kid’s attention, focusing on Paz’s form. Then with unexpected bravery, the kid stomped up to him. As he raised a hand, a finger pointed out to press against the beskar plating on Paz’s chest, said, ”Then why did ya leave it here? Stupid to do, Mando if that was your only way to travel.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Paz stared down at the kid, identifying something his chest warming how annoyingly cute this kid was. Mouthy for sure, but certainly had his wits about him. “How about I offer you a ride to compensate?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What, you think I’m a dumb kid? The kind that’ll jump at the chance to get a ride despite your kind to kidnap kids?” The kid pulled his hand away, face glowering in a way a boy shouldn’t have to do. Not yet at least.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Paz shrugged, letting his body do most of the talking. “Figured a kid like you would want to brag about getting a ride with a Mandalorian.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The kid narrowed his eyes. But gave up quickly when Paz picked up the jetpack. “Fine, but don’t try anything Mando.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Paz smiled, knowing that he had guessed right about the kid. Putting on the jetpack, he waited for the kid to come towards him - to make the decision himself rather than Paz forcing it. He stood, watching the kid as they looked down the alley and the rooftops. Then he moved towards Paz, none of the fear he’d seen earlier showing anywhere on the kid’s face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get on with it, Mando.” The kid said. His eyes daring Paz to go back on his promise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a huff of laughter, Paz squatted and then gently reached for the scrawny kid. He lifted them, noting that the kid was light, too light for a kid his age. Paz then held them against his chest, his arms wrapped around the middle of their back and the back of their legs. He made sure that his grip on them wasn’t going to drop them in flight and then he started the jetpack up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite what many would think, it was hard to control your balance in the air with a piece of equipment that was meant for speed and power. Paz remembers the training sessions, the warnings the trainers gave him and the other cadets about how this wasn’t a thing to fool around with. That it was always going to be your life on the line if you didn’t pay attention.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Paz remembers the stories his buir would tell him, about what she saw during her time in Death Watch. None were pretty or heroic - more along the line of tales of caution a parent would tell their children. Paz saw the way her eyes had subtly showed her emotions as she held him close to her side, mostly grief and sorrow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While second nature after a few decades of practice, Paz still heeded those warnings as he flew around in the air, holding the boy in his arms. It wasn’t his first time flying a child and it likely wouldn’t be the last.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a minute, he took his time to look at the kid. The boy wasn’t looking at the ground like he expected, but towards the sky, wonder adorning every feature. The first taste of flight and it was likely he wanted more. With a smirk, Paz did a trick. He braced himself for the motion, backflipping in midair. He felt his gut swoop with the motion, briefly catching sight of the ground as he moved back into an upward position.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Paz relished in the startled shout and the delighted laughter from the kid, the sound vibrating itself through his armour. He smiled and then did a few more tricks, wanting to see the kid smile and laugh. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a bit, he went to land. He turned off the jetpack and then set the kid down on the ground, making sure the boy didn’t fall flat on his face after experiencing his first jetpack flight. The kid, shaking with adrenaline, gave a yell, excited beyond belief. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“See why you Mandalorians love those things!” His green eyes were bright, filled with wonder as he stared up into Paz’s visor. “Teach me how to do that!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Secret technique you gotta take the oath,” Paz said, teasing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wasn’t expecting the kid to go,” I’ll do it, I take the oath.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s a full-time commitment, ad.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You see me doing anything better, Mando?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He supposed not. Not when the kid was that small, unlikely living someplace that was giving him all the care and attention he needed. Maybe the clan could provide him with that. The Armorer always said that foundlings were the future, that they were the Way they were currently living.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe one of the others could teach the kid what he needed to survive.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, follow after me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He heard the light steps as he walked out of the alley and knew somehow in his gut that the kid would do good with the others. “What’s your name ad’ika?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jason. What’s yours Mando?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Paz Vizla.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course I get stuck with the guy with a big family history,” Jason said loudly, close to complaining. But the way he saw the smile on Jason’s face, Paz knew it was only teasing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And I get stuck with a mouthy kid, so we’re even.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You haven’t even seen the start of what I can say, Mando.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ad - son<br/>Buir - Father or Mother<br/>Ad'ika - little one</p><p>I got this idea in my head months ago because I really liked Paz despite only seeing him for one episode and wanted to do something with him. Then I remembered how Jason Todd had been adopted by Bruce in the comics and went "Do that, but with Paz, because that would be hilarious." Thus, this crossover was born!</p><p>Depending on how much people like this, I might do more with the idea since I feel it would be fun to play around with these two becoming a father-son duo. Maybe even have Jason torture Din, who knows.</p><p>Hopefully, it was a fun one-shot to read! :D</p></blockquote></div></div>
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